An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Traditional Maori Life

Originally published in 1963 (and reprinted every two to three years until the early 1980s), with a second edition published in 2002, the book has been edited and updated by Buddy Mikaere and repackaged with an attractive new softcover. The text is arranged in alphabetical entries that cover agriculture, fishing, gardening, hunting, games, building, craft, forest lore and ceremony - all the major elements of pre-European Maori life. Detailed and instructive line drawings appear on almost every page. Colour and black and white photographs of Maori artefacts are inserted as wraps. This easy-to-follow home reference guide is ideal for anybody interested in learning more about Maori culture and customs.

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Author description

Well known for his association with AH and AW Reed, the former New Zealand publishing house, A.W. Reed specialised in writing books on Maori topics. He collected an immense amount of information about Maori people and their history and traditions, becoming a Maoritanga expert in the process. Buddy Mikaere of Ngati Pukenga and Ngati Ranginui descent has run an environmental consultancy with a national client base for the past 14 years; he is a well-respected historian and has published widely in his specialist field of 19th century race relations and on Maori history in general.